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Thursday, September 24, 2009

Am I lucky????


Since childhood I have seen many people participating in lucky contests - something like lucky corner, lotto housie (a common game played in any get-together here) or buying lottery tickets during Diwali season. I have seen many of them winning and sometimes a particular person wins a lot of times! Whenever a winner is announced, I usually search the crowd and try to estimate who the winner will be.I sort of got accustomed to that fact. Its not that I feel for it, because I know, things go on their way and I go on my way....

When I was in school, there came some people (or representatives, u can say) from Maha Lacto(a chocolate famous before 8 or 9 years) for a contest. All you had to do was make a bunch of 25 chocolate wrappers (just wrappers!!) and staple them with your name and class written on a paper. We were given some 2 to 3 odd weeks to collect those wrappers. Seems that the company went short of those wrappers - well no need to say, this was another marketing strategy. The whole school started searching for the wrappers - some in the ground, some in litterbox too! yuck! Even the canteen and shops nearby school ran out of that chocolate... :(

I and my sister together managed to get some 50 odd wrappers and my parents said that those two bunch vl be given in my name - much to mine and my sister's embarassment. Dont think that my sister would have been mad at me - she is lovely sis :) The prizes for the lucky draw were
(as far I can remember)
10 lucky winners will get Maha Lacto Camera pouch (I guess I am right :D)
5 will get Maha Lacto School Bag
1 will get a camera.
I thought to test my luck again. I didnt own a single-branded thing. Atleast I could own the Maha Lacto brand!! Atlast the LD-day (Lucky draw day) came. The company representatives came in suits and ties. After assembly, they started calling the lucky ones... A boy besides me got a bag, a classmate of mine who stands 5 to 6 girls before me got a bag and a senior of mine won (won??? though this word sounds absurd here) a camera!!! and as usual I was there questioning my luck...

The main reason I thought to post this article comes here:

Recently Vikatan (a Tamil magazine group) held book exhibition. I went with my friend (leave the fact that I scare people when I read tamil) to see the collection and variety. After a lot of this-that-gud-bad we bought 3 books totalling some 210-plus bucks. In the billing section, we were told that if we get books worth of 300 or so (I have weak memory, forgot the exact amount!) we have a chance of getting a coupon. That coupon will be collected and on a particular date (after a month) the lucky winners will be announced. I and my friend started laughing and the cashier gave a confused luck...only had she known about our luck... :D :D

I again thought of trying my luck... As you would have seen the lesson taught by Farhan Akhtar to Konkana in 'Luck by chance' - that you should atleast give a chance to things. I gave it a go!!! Bought another couple of books for another friend and the amount crossed the required limit.
I filled the coupon, leave the fact that my friend did more than half the purchse :D, and a part of the coupon was given to me to retrieve it, so that it can be useful while collecting the gifts.
The winner might get (as the poster said)

Mixi, Scooty, TV, iPod, Mobile, Toys, book offer, and so on...

I laughed at the thought and went. More than a month passed and my Mom was asking the other day about the coupon. I assured her that it was safe with me in my wallet and also told her that the LD-day has passed. So no need of worrying about it. But instead of throwing it, I let it ruin. A week after the LD-Day passed, I got a call from that publication.

He : "Hello. May I know whom I talking to?"
I : "It is you who called. Whom do you want?" (Always my father has advised me not to share anything with strangers :P :D )
He : "Am talking from Vikatan publication. Can u please tell me ur name".
(I totally forgot about the lucky draw part. I was thinking why a Tamil magazine will approach me!!)
I : "My name is Priyanka".
He: "Oh ok Madam. I just called to say that u won prize in LD".

(I was totally out of words!! me???? what i wud have got?? mobile or scooty??)

I : OK sir. what I have to do?
He: Just visit the same book center with the coupon, u vl get ur prize. U have won cosmetic prize.
I : Ok, thank you.

(Ah!! Cosmetic prize... tsch.. I didnt expect this.. there wasnt anything like cosmetic product on that poster..was ther?? oh leave it!)

I didnt want to go alone and so called my bro - a couch potato - to come with me. I just told him that we have won some prize. Didnt mention him that it was a cosmetic prize, otherwise he wouldnt have come with me :P As we showed our coupon, we were handed a parcel of medium size. hmm... I started guessing.. powders, lipsticks, face lotions... what could be in it??? and my brother in loud voice - "iPod or mobile?? If its a mobile I vl have it.. " I was just smiling n nodding....

Since childhood I have made it as a rule that any gift or envelope I get, I first give it to my Dad to open. And hence this also... Four pair of eyes were anxiously waiting as my Dad was tearing out the cover. As he opened, small boxes started falling... And lo! We all started laughing until tears started flowing through the cheeks.... I won 10 boxes of Vivel soap n 4 shampoo bottles /omg :P

Hence the question, Am I lucky???

P.S : An exception - My date of joining got preponed from november 30 to september 29 :)

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Untitled - 1


My first long story ever!!! Read and please let me know how it was... Thnx :)

Ria opened her diary. The pages were blank in yesterday’s and day before yesterday’s column.


Today’s entry:

Dad is back from the conference. And the moment he entered, I saw Mom’s face. Both looked like the fighters who are ready for the gong.

Oh God! Not again today!! See I haven’t complained to you for the past two days. I’ve been a very good girl. I even came now without having my ‘hugging gift’ from dad. Didn’t dine also. I know mom would be pretty upset if I go now. But please God, stop the noise that is going on outside the door. How many times am I supposed to hear the same accusation, some argument out of nothing again and again ?


“You are the one who cheated me..”

“Hey, you are the one who started.” The voices penetrated the room.


Ria had heard them again and again. She knew them by heart, their words. She can see how they will react. To overcome these unpleasant things, she was trying to smile like the lovely doll, which was resting on the other side of the table.

And she finished her diary with these “Hope everything will be fine soon. Good night God”.


For Ria, diary was this – the one that strengthens her, gives her chance to unburden herself and transfer them into the pages (but they hardly go from her). One can see that in every page of her diary, the last two lines were always the same.


Ria to the doll, the only member in the family who listened her.

“Hey Pinky, I heard that people in married life love each other. Is it so?”

The doll with its smile seemed to reply ‘yes’.

“Then why is it not so with Mom and Dad? Won’t I get any of their affection? Wont I see the lovely world outside? Wont they leave me from their clutches and stay claiming me as theirs? Wont they ever find out that what I need is love and support not their ego and money”.


With all these questions coming out, even the smiling doll lost its charm.

“There is no one to talk to me politely or lovingly? Am I a burden?”

She felt sudden sense of anger rolling out of her mind. Was she a burden?? Is it her mistake that she is born? Are these parents - the word sounded ridiculous to her - going to stop their non-sense?


She rushed towards her parents and stared from one to the other. They stopped on seeing her as if unaware of the fact that she could hear them inside her room too. Ria, tried to even out her voice. But it didn’t work much. “Mamma, Pappa, please! For God’s sake stop your non-sense.” She wanted to faint, so that they can see how much they are affecting her. Atleast then they will realize and come together. But..NO… her Mom and Dad are beyond any explanation or any treaty.


Racked my brain, but couldnt find any suitable tiltle... Suggestions please...

The next part is coming soon :) :) :)

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Innocence


Rita to her maid's daughter, "Where is your mom today?".

"she is sleeping in home".

Rita, "Her fever soar up?".

Innocently, "Mam, its not fever; just to keep away from cold, her body gets hot. She vl b back soon."